Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Book Description:
Sometimes, the greatest comebacks take place far away
from the ball field.

Meet Peter Friedman, high school freshman. Talented
photographer. Former baseball star. When a freakish injury ends his pitching
career, Peter has some major things to figure out. Is there life after sports?
Why has his grandfather suddenly given him thousands of dollars worth of camera
equipment? And is it his imagination, or is the super-hot star of the girls'
swim team flirting with him, right in front of the amazing new girl in his
photography class?

Review: I loved this book. I love all of Jordan
Sonnenblick's books!

This book had
sports, it had photography, it had the ups and downs of a new relationship...it
had family drama (and tons of family love)... it pretty much had it all!

I so thoroughly enjoyed this book that I am giving it a
GOLD STAR review!!

I thought that Peter was a great character. I loved his
relationship with his grandfather and the one that he develops with Angelika. I
also enjoyed his best friend and thought that it was interesting to see the
dynamics of their relationship.

This is one of those books that I believe has something
for everyone to enjoy.

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty
by G. Neri
illus. by Randy DuBurke

Book Description:
Eleven-year old Roger is trying to make sense of his classmate Robert "Yummy"
Sandifer's death, but first he has to make sense of Yummy's life. Yummy could be
as tough as a pit bull sometimes. Other times he was as sweet as the sugary
treats he loved to eat. Was Yummy some sort of monster, or just another kid? As
Roger searches for the truth, he finds more and more questions. How did Yummy
end up in so much trouble? Did he really kill someone? And why do all the
answers seem to lead back to a gang-the same gang to which Roger's older brother
belongs? Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty is a compelling graphic
dramatization based on events that occurred in Chicago in 1994. This gritty
exploration of youth gang life will force readers to question their own
understandings of good and bad, right and wrong.

Review: I didn't really enjoy this graphic novel all that
much.

I think it's an important topic, and one that many teens can relate to, but I just didn't connect to it all that much. I
didn't really like the illustration style, either. I think I had such a hard time with this book because found Yummy to be a character I
couldn't really muster all that sympathy for...

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Young love has always had its challenges, but even so, the world falling
apart at its seams is a pretty big obstacle. This stellar collection of YA
dystopian tales explores survival of the fittest in terms of love, passion, and
humanity. When the survival of the human race is at stake, what will it take for
the bond between two people to hold strong together?

Featuring some of
the most well known and best-selling names of the dystopian genre, as well as
the hottest up-and-coming authors, this anthology includes works from Jeanne
DuPrau (City of Ember), Kiera Cass (The Selection), William
Sleator (Interstellar Pig), Jesse Karp (Those That Wake), Diana
Peterfreund (Secret Society Girl), Carrie Vaughn (The Kitty
Norville Series), and Carrie Ryan (New York Times bestseller The
Forest of Hands and Teeth).

Review:

I enjoyed each of the stories that I read in this
anthology separately, as their own entities. Each was interesting, creative, and
engaging. I'm going to break it down and tell you about some of the ones I
liked the best... I do want to note, though, that overall I felt the tone of
this book was depressing! I do not think I would ever recommend that anyone read
this book straight through in one shot. This is a book to read one story at a
time...to parse out between other books...trust me.

The
Stories:In the Clearing by Kiera Cass - I liked this
short story about a society where people are drugged into complacency through
their food. I thought it was plausible and intriguing. I liked both main
characters and thought the romance built well.

Now Purple with Love's
Wound by Carrie Vaughn - I thought this story was really powerful. I
loved the concept, even as it totally creeped me out. It gave me chills to think
of a society where girls were drugged into feeling lifelong love for someone who
claimed them. Short, but extremely effective.

Berserker Eyes
by Maria Snyder - This had the feel of a longer dystopian novel excerpt...or
maybe itwas just that I wanted it to be...
I would read a whole novel set in this world. I also loved how the romance
built through their quest to beat the government that was abusing them...

Foundlingsby Diana Peterfreund - Oooh! The
perfect example of when "helpful" government agencies go wrong. WOMB is
supposed to protect babies and their mothers...but then it begins to help babies
at the cost of their mothers. This was a story I could actually see happening
in our distant future.

The Dream Eater by Carrie Ryan - This story
broke my heart. I felt bad for *everyone* involved and wanted to rail out at
the city that allowed this poor girl to sacrifice herself for thier happiness. I
loved how Ryan kept the absolute realism that I love in her zombie books, even
as I felt so sad reading the story...

Those were the standout stories for me, though as I
mentioned I would not read them all in a row...it might make you want to close
your eyes and pretend that there is no future!! ﻿

Monday, May 21, 2012

Book Description:
Raina
just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she
trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long
and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing
headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that,
there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends
who turn out to be not so friendly.

Review: I actually really liked this graphic novel. The pictures were easy to look at and understand. The style was very simple, but still fun-looking.

The storyline was pretty great, too, though it had some gross moments to do with her teeth, lol! It was
really interesting because not only was it a good story with a character that was very
relatable, but it turns out it's a memoir! The events really happened to the
author. Cool.Another graphic novel I may never have picked up on my own, but after having heard great things about it from other people, I decided to give it a shot, and it turned out to be really good! :)

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Book Description:
Fourteen-year-old Nathaniel Clark lives in two worlds—the outside world
of his family and friends and his own, special, inside Aspie world, where he’s
not forced to interact with people or worry about wearing his clothes right-side
out. The world where he can solve mathematical problems that elude even the
brightest graduate students. The world where he feels he can find his own inner
truth. People say he’s a genius, but Nathaniel thinks differently. According to
a book he once read, a true genius uses his talent to make a contribution to the
world. Nathaniel takes the definition literally, and begins his quest for genius
status.

Review: I really enjoyed this book. I thought that it was
a really accessible glimpse into the mind of someone with Asperger's Syndrome.
Nathaniel's mind worked very differently from say, mine, but the author took
pains to write so that it was not so foreign that it would be off-putting as a
reader to try to understand.

Nathaniel was interesting and driven. I love that he
truly strived to become a positive addition to society. He longed for nothing
more than to become the true definition of a "genius" - someone who produced
something incredible. I loved
that Nathaniel also had "normal" friends and that he was so high
functioning. Being in a band and going bowling or playing video games with
friends seem to be things that a lot of autistic/Aspie kids can't do and it was
heartwarming to see a character that was inspired to participate so much by his
family. I loved the relationship he and his mother had...and while I didn't
like his relationship with his father, I understood how it could have developed
and thought it was very realistic. It was nice to see his loving stepmother,
too.

All in all, I thought this
book was very well done and I recommend it anytime you are looking for
something a little bit different!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Book Description:
Kevin Johnson is thirteen years old. And heading for juvie. He's
a good kid, a great friend, and a star striker for his Highland, New Jersey,
soccer team. His team is competing for the State Cup, and he wants to prove he
has more than just star-player potential. Kevin's never been in any serious
trouble . . . until the night he ends up in jail. Enter Sergeant Brown, a cop
assigned to be Kevin's mentor. If Kevin and Brown can learn to trust each other,
they might be able to turn things around before it's too late.

Review: I did not really enjoy this book. I wanted to, but
there were a lot of things about it that actually bothered me. I could see that
it would appeal a lot to other readers, but it just didn't work for
me.

Good things:
*It's a quick read. *One of the co-authors is actually a TEEN, so he lent a truly authentic teen voice to Kevin's character. Kevin is relatable and has a great family.
*Sgt. Brown was overall a good mentor to
Kevin. *It gives a good lesson about
watching your temper and finding other ways to solve problems.

Things I didn't like:*Sgt. Brown calling his wife (whom he supposedly loved
very much) "Woman," constantly saying he wished she would stop talking at him
and just "Shut Up." Grrr... As much as he was good with Kevin, I HATED the
example he set as a husband. *The
sub-plot about the illegal immigrants being exploited was tied up too neatly and
without a lot of explanation. *Kevin's
almost trip to perma-juvie was tied up way to easily in what I thought was an
improbable fashion...

I need you guys to tell me what you think of this one!!! Am I being too critical?

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

So, I don't know if I've ever mentioned it before, but... Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is my ALL.TIME.FAVORITE.SCIENCE.FICTION.BOOK....EVAH!!

I LOVE Ender's Game. It is an amazing book with great characters and a cool concept.

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack,
government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant
young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his
sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his
sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training
program but didn't make the cut--young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the
orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills
make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children
play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community
of young soldiers, Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers,
pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders.
His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the
cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved
sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only
result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for
a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for
almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is,
but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to
remake a world. If the world survives, that is.

If you've never read it, I HIGHLY recommend you give it a shot. You don't like Sci-Fi, you say... I will prove you wrong. Try this book. It will change your life.

So. Why am I gushing at you like this??

Well...they are currently filming the Ender's Game MOVIE!! *squee!!*

They've lined up an awesome cast and they've even created a really cool blog that lets you see stuff from the movie sets.

Check it out sometime if you get a chance!Let me know if you think they're going to do a good job with the movie...

Monday, May 14, 2012

*CAUTION - If you have not yet read Divergent... you may want to skip this review!!*

Book Description:
One choice
can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and
as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying
to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of
grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's
initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her
chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms
as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of
war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even
more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but
also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting
relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know
what she may lose by doing so.

Review: It is no secret that I LOVED Divergent. It was amazing...and while I really
enjoyed Insurgent, it just didn't have that same magical *spark* that Divergent did...

One of the things I liked the most about this book...and
simultaneously cursed, was that it broadened our world-view and gave much more
depth to whole story. Readers got to learn more about each faction - how it was
developed, who runs it and where, what are its principles - and how they
interact with each other. It was really cool to see how the entire city worked
as a whole.

The world-building felt
much more developed here, but in Roth's feeding us so much information, you lose
the magic of living directly in Tris' head. As such, I felt that the first half
of the book developed very slowly... it was not until midway through that I
became really solidly invested in the characters again.

And what Tris and Four go through... I just wanted to
reach through the book and hug each of them... There are betrayals, there are
massive secrets revealed, there are deaths. I cannot say more without getting
all spoiler-y.

Now... all that being said...the end of this book goes out with
a BANG! I love where Roth took this, though I was left with some burning
questions that I can only hope get answered in the final book. For a variety of
reasons, book three is a must read!

After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her
music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule
and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager,
Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her
disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely,
Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The
farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is
unable to play anything but the song "Chopsticks."

But nothing is what it
seems, and Glory's reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving
novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it's up to the reader to decide
what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along...

Review: ﻿

This is actually a really cool book. It's a quick
read because it's all done in ephemera... meaning, postcards, pictures,
newspaper articles, IM conversations. It's a breeze to flip through, but it
builds a really intriguing story.

I
loved how every time you turn the page another little layer of the story, or
Glory or Frank's story, gets peeled away and the sequence of events builds... is
Glory going mad? Is she plotting to run away? Is her Dad holding her captive?
What is really happening?

I love how
in the end, you think you know what's happened, but maybe not... It's ambiguous,
just like real life. There are so many mysteries out there and it's truly
impossible to know everything that goes on with everyone around us...

Friday, May 11, 2012

Book Description:
It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary
teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to
become the first young people in space--and change their lives forever.

Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and
fortune.

Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan.

Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend
as possible.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that
something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And
in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.

Review:

I was very impressed with this science fiction
thriller.

Though it is a little slow starting, the
tension eventually builds into a spine-chilling ending. This is the book for
someone who doesn't need a happy ending. This is the book for someone looking
for realism and just a touch of horror.

This book has many characters and changes
perspectives quite frequently, though you could say that Mia could be considered
the "main character." It actually makes it a little easier as the story goes on
to be not quite invested in any specific character...

Whatever your suspicions may be along the way,
the author manages to surprise readers with a bleak ending that will give you
just the hint of nightmares for a few days...

Book Description:
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The
opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in
a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and
compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer,
being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with
Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition
for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened
by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually,
she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that
the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review: I really enjoyed this book. America is an
interesting character. I liked her spunk and her honesty...with both herself and
the men in her life. I felt like she was someone I'd like to be friends with,
you know?

I thought this was a really
interesting world. It has a caste system and a very rigid set of rules about
etiquette and defining what life choices you can make. I, by no means, would
want to live there, but it was an intriguing world to read about!

As more and more secrets became
revealed, my interest became more and more peaked. This is a book that,
unfortunately, leaves a lot of questions unanswered at the end (it's the first
in a trilogy) and my final thought when I finished it was..."HOW long do I have
to wait for book two??"

Sadly, book
two will not be available until Spring 2013, which feels so far away!!On the plus side, though...this series
is being turned into a TV show that will be airing on the CW later this year!
I'm stoked. :) Correction... there was a pilot made for CW, but they decided not to make the show after all... I'm so sad!!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Book Description:
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years,
Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon
diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears
at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely
rewritten.

Review: I loved every single thing about this book! It made me cry, both because it was sad *and* because I got so angry in spots! I read the whole book in one day because I could not put it down!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

In the
blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen ­year-old Mia has no memory of the
accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged
body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together
the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very
difficult choice she must make.

Review:

I loved it. It was sad. Heartwrenchingly sad. I listened to the audio version
of this and basically cried my way to and from work for three days. Sucky on
the makeup, but totally worth it! I
hadn't realized that this book takes place so much from Mia's point of view as
she's in a coma. It reminded me of The Lovely Bones, another *great*
book. I love getting to experience that
kind of outsider perspective, but with tons of insider insight. It's a really
neat device in stories.

Plot-wise,
obviously this book is terribly gutwrenching. I think that Forman managed to
make the whole scenario even more devestating after she solidly introduces Mia's
fantastic family. They truly are one of the coolest families I've read about in
YA in quite a while. It was so sad to think of the tragedy that befell them.

My one and only complaint about this
book was how abruptly it ended. Now, don't get me wrong. It was beautiful. It
was right. *BUT* I immediately wanted more!! Thank goodness, not only do I know
there's a sequel, but it's already out so I can read it ASAP!! ﻿

Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Elector Primo of the Republic has died,
with his son assuming power over what's left of the USA's West Coast as it
teeters on full-blown chaos. June and Day join up with Patriot rebels so they
can rescue Day's brother and head east for the Colonies. In order to help,
though, the rebels want June and Day to kill the new Elector, who may be a step
up from his dad.

I know you Hunger Games fanatics must have found Marie Lu's Legend by now. It's another great dystopian story. Well, if you haven't yet...go check it out!! And if you have, this is the info on its sequel... I know I'll be reading it when it comes out! :)

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Book Description:
Ryoko, a manga character from a manga world, falls through
the Rip into the “real” world—the western world—and tries to survive as the
ultimate outsider at a typical American high school.
When Ryoko falls in love
with Marissa Montaigne, the most beautiful girl in the school, his eyes turn to
hearts and comic tension tightens as his way of being drawn and expressing
himself clashes with this different Western world in which he is stuck in.
“Panel-holed” for being different, Ryoko has to figure out how to get back to
his manga world, back through the Rip . . . all while he has hearts for eyes for
a girl from the wrong kind of comic book.

Review: This was actually a really difficult read for me. I
sort-of enjoyed the plot and felt that the concept of the two styles of graphic
novels colliding was cool...but, *sigh*. I never really got into it.

I had a hard time with the American
style graphic novel drawings. Stylistically, I actually enjoyed the Japananese
manga-style drawings a lot more, but they also looked somewhat ridiculous next
to the more western style.

As I
said, conceptually, I thought the book was great. In actuality, I didn't really
enjoy reading it. I'm glad I did and I can say I have, but I would not pick it
up again.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Book Description:
Josh and Emma are about to discover themselves--fifteen years in
the future

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole
lives. They've been best friends almost as long--at least, up until last
November, when everything changed. Things have been awkward ever since, but when
Josh's family gets a free AOL CD-ROM in the mail, his mom makes him bring it
over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're
automatically logged onto Facebook . . . but Facebook hasn't been invented yet.
Josh and Emma are looking at themselves fifteen years in the
future.

Their spouses, careers, homes, and status updates--it's all
there. And every time they refresh their pages, their futures change. As they
grapple with the ups and downs of what their lives hold, they're forced to
confront what they're doing right--and wrong--in the present.

Review: To be totally honest, I did not really like this book.
I had expected to love it, but it just never really worked for me. In the first
couple of chapters I was totally into the whole nostalgia thing...I loved
flashing back to my high school self...but as the story moved on, it just never
grabbed me.

I thought the concept was
really cool, but I didn't really connect to either character. The plot didn't
seem to move enough for me. I liked the ending, but knew exactly where it was
going almost from the start.

Book Description:
When you can see things others can't, what happens when someone is watching
you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl
in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions
from the past.

Only, Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers
hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone
starts playing with her head and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer
crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who
gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do
anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this
mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in
town has suddenly disappeared. Clare needs to see her way to the truth -- before
it's much too late.

Review:

I loved this follow-up to
Clarity.

I still think that Clare is a
fantastic character and I love her power. It would be cool, interesting, and
sometimes creepy to be able to touch things and see visions!

I thought that there was a lot
of great stuff going on with Clare's family in this book. I love the bond that
she and her brother share...and thought it was well tested in this book. I also
love watching Clare and her mother figure things out...

I have to confess I was eagerly
anticipating the romance element of this book. I could not wait to see what
would happen with Clare and her two beaus...I thought that Harrington did great
with this aspect. It was realistic and fun.

The mystery in this one was
totally creepy. Stalker books always give me the heebie-jeebies. I will confess
that I figured out who the bad guy was just a hair before Clare did...but not by
much! I thought the mystery was well done.

For all of you who have been anxiously waiting...INSURGENT by Veronica Roth, the sequel to Divergent, is out today!! ﻿Our library's copy is *already* checked out, but call us or stop by to put a hold on it!! I know some of you were as excited as I was to have it come out!!

Book Description:

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has
consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior
must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with
haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and
love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with
her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now
looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times
of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even
more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but
also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting
relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know
what she may lose by doing so.

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